We recently had the pleasure of meeting with OLIP alumn and representative of Achēv, Kristen Neagle. Achēv, formerly the Centre for Education & Training, is a not-for-profit, community-based organization that delivers employment, youth, newcomer, and language services. Based in the Peel region, Achēv has 9 locations across the GTA. They offer many services to their clients; in 2019, they served over 120,000 people, including 8500 youth and 11000 newcomers. EmpowHer is one of their programs, which empowers young women to get involved in their communities.
During our meeting, Ms. Neagle talked about her role as Government Relations & Strategic Partnerships lead at Achēv. In this role, she meets with governments at every level to advocate for the various services and programs provided by Achēv. For example, the pandemic has prioritized the need for broadband connectivity and youth support, two areas that Achēv advocates for improvements in. As a primarily government-funded organization, Achēv works closely with municipal, provincial and federal departments to serve their clients in Peel Region and the GTA. As we come out of the pandemic, we will continue to see the need for Achēv’s services, especially for youth and newcomers.
We are always so grateful when our alumni and sponsorship communities overlap, leading to great conversation. Thank you, Ms. Neagle and Achēv, for your continued support and championship of OLIP!